Husband requests 'open conclusion'

“I suggest the judgement is an open conclusion because we are unable to reach a conclusion on the balance of probabilities as to what actually happened.”

10:40KEY EVENT

Police report says no food poisoning

A police report from the Egyptian Lieutenant Colonel Jazzi has been read out to the court.

He says his investigation concluded there was no food poisoning in the hotel among guests and staff and no criminal suspicions.

He adds that there was no negligence from hotel management.

10:15

About to start

The coroner and witnesses have assembled in the room and more evidence is about to be heard, including a police report.

Stay tuned and we’ll bring the latest.

08:57KEY EVENT

Inquest set to resume in the next hour

Alison Sonnex, 54, died while on holiday in Egypt with husband Clive Eversfield, 60

The second day of the inquest into Mrs Sonnex’s death will resume at around 10am today (July 4) at Sandwich Guildhall

08:48

Food poisoning 'impossible', hotel's general manager said

The hotel’s general manager stated food poisoning would be impossible as none of the hotel’s 540 other guests reported experiencing this, something which Mr Eversfield challenged during the inquest, sating others had reported symptoms.

08:46

Pathology report

William Harvey Hospital in Ashford

The pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination in Egypt could not ascertain the direct cause of death but denied it was criminally suspicious.

He also ruled out any food poisoning as a possible cause of death, instead suggesting a “severe condition of the heart and lungs.”

He said: “It’s evident her health condition was unconnected to external factors.”

William Harvey Hospital pathologist Dr Kareem Aboualpha carried out a second post-mortem exam but conceded this was “not really helpful” as the fact one had already been conducted on her meant he did not have Mrs Sonnex’s entire body to examine.

While he could not say with any certainty, he believed her death was caused by gastroenteritis, feeling that the doctors’ treatment was appropriate.

He added it was possible an unknown underlying medical condition may have been the reason Mrs Sonnex was affected more severely than her husband.

He stated he could not state with certainty what caused the gastroenteritis but food poisoning was one possibility, with others being a norovirus or inhalation of an aerosol, and Mrs Sonnex or Mr Eversfield may have contracted it first then passed it on to their spouse.

During the initial autopsy, a tear was found on her heart, and it was heard if this tear happened before her death it would have soon killed her, though it may have been caused during resuscitation or during the autopsy.

08:41

Clive Eversfield spoke to the court

“I was stunned.

“I didn’t go on holiday to lose Alison.

“I was asked to give a statement while in a state of shock.”

“That statement, I think was taken under duress. I had just lost someone, it was a ridiculous time to interview someone.”

A holiday rep stated he had told police to “take it easy” on Mr Eversfield as he felt “the officer was being aggressive.”

08:37

Evidence from first day

The Royal Tulip hotel doctor told officers he found food poisoning unlikely as no other guests had complained of it and Mrs Sonnex did not show symptoms of it, which he said included raised body temperature, vomiting and diarrhoea, while examining her.

Mrs Sonnex was taken to the intensive care unit and around an hour and a half later, a doctor informed Mr Eversfield that despite prolonged resuscitation attempts they were unable to revive his wife.

Having twice gone into cardiac arrest, Mrs Sonnex was dead by the early evening.

08:35

Who was Alison Sonnex?

Mrs Sonnex was 54-years-old, and was a language teacher at Dane Court Grammar School.

She had been on holiday in Egypt, when, on the last night of her break she suddenly fell ill.